New Assisted Living Facility Planned for Reston

Reston will likely be getting a 135-bed assisted living and memory care facility located on Leesburg Pike.

The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors is expected to approve on Tuesday a special exception to a zoning ordinance that that will allow Singh Senior Living of Cary, NC, to build Waltonwood Reston on a 23-acre parcel at 10819 Leesburg Pike. The land is located just in front of the Ascot subdivision of homes near the intersection of Baron Cameron Avenue.

Singh currently manages more than two dozen Waltonwood facilities nationwide, including one in Ashburn.

The special exception is required to build a medical care facility on land that is currently zoned residential. The land currently contains a 1,500-square-foot unoccupied house, which will be torn down, according to an October report by the Fairfax County Department of Planning and Zoning.

The staff report recommended approval of the project, as did the Fairfax County Planning Commission at a December meeting.

The 155,150-square-foot facility is “proposed to be developed as a medical care facility consisting of assisted living and memory care units to serve the immediate area needs for senior assisted living and dementia. The facility will primarily serve the greater Reston, Great Falls, Tysons Corner and Herndon area. The future residents of the facility are projected to come from the area, or move to the area to be near their adult children who live in the vicinity of Waltonwood Reston, ” says the developer application.

The applicant says the proximity of Reston Hospital Center, about two miles away, will be a great asset to the project and offer added medical services not provided on site but that may be needed by residents.

Singh says:

There will be about 20 acres of open space on the property.

Plans include 110 assisted living and 25 memory care units, plus a single staff/visitor unit, and 113 parking spots.

There will be a continuous retaining wall along the majority of the frontage, enabling preservation of a large portion of the existing hedgerow Leesburg Pike and a complete screen of the parking areas visible from Leesburg Pike.

The building will be designed in a courtyard configuration. It will include additional common areas, including: a common dining room, hair salon, convenience store and cafe, library, hobbies & crafts room, movie theatre and assorted lounge areas. A complete, state-of-the-art physical therapy and exercise area is also planned.

The architecture of the building is proposed to be “traditional, utilizing predominantly brick and masonry stone on the exterior facade and including some Tudor style elements. The intent is to create a building character that is in keeping with the building styles of the area.”

It will construct frontage improvements between the entrance and the northern property line, including a right turn taper and lane as approved by the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT). Singh says traffic impact on Leesburg Pike will be negligible since employees work staggered shifts.

The land is currently zoned for a well and septic system, but the building will connect to county and water sewer systems.

Singh will contribute $10,000 for additional traffic signals.

Additionally, the developer has shown there is demand for its services, even with assisted living units already located at Sunrise Senior Living near Reston Town Center and Tall Oaks at Reston at Tall Oaks.

It cited a market study “showing an existing unmet demand in the area which is projected to increase to 437 for assisted living beds and 164 memory care beds by 2025.”

Another Assisted Living building is currently in the works for Reston. The Fairfax County Planning Commission later this month will discuss the application by Colts Neck LLC, which plans to build independent living for seniors as well as assisted living units at 2222 Colts Neck Road.

All units will include bathrooms and the non-memory care units will have kitchenettes. The units will be designed with accessibility features and an emergency call system. The memory care units will be fully secured.

The developer says the assisted living and memory care base rates will range between approximately $6,500 and $8,500 monthly. Singh has agreed to maintain at least 4 percent of the beds for residents who are eligible for the Virginia Department of Aging and Rehabilitative Services’ Auxiliary Grant Program.

Rendering of proposed Waltonwood Reston/Credit: Fairfax County